Compared · checked 2026-10-24

The best free PDF editors, compared

Most free PDF editors are websites that process your file on their servers and cap what you can do for free. Here is what each one offers without paying, from their own pages, and which one fits which job.

We make PDF Editor, one of the tools on this page. Every fact about the other tools comes from their own pages, linked under each one, as they read on 2026-10-24. Prices and features change: check each site before you choose.

How we compared them

• What you can do for free: edit text, sign, fill forms, merge, split, compress, redact
• Limits on the free plan (tasks, files, pages, downloads)
• Whether you need an account
• Where the file is processed: on your device or on the company's servers
• Whether there is an offline option

At a glance

1. PDF Editor (ours)

Best for: Private documents, and editing without limits or an account

A full PDF editor that runs in the browser: organise pages, change existing text, sign, fill forms, redact and recognise text, all on your device.

Good

• Nothing is uploaded: the file is read and saved in your browser
• Edit existing text line by line or as whole paragraphs: the old words are taken out of the page, not just covered
• Add text, shapes, images and signatures; one bar over any selection to highlight, comment, remove, redact or replace
• True redaction: marked areas are burned into the page, with find and redact for e-mails, phone and card numbers
• Merge, split, reorder, page numbers, watermarks, forms and compression in one place
• Converts to Word (DOCX), Excel and PowerPoint from its Convert tool, with nothing uploaded
• Opens password-protected PDFs (RC4 and AES) once you type the password
• Adds a password (AES-256) when you download, with printing, copying and editing allowed or not
• Works on your phone, tablet and computer in the browser, even offline

Not so good

• Text recognition (OCR) needs a one-time model download for each script (Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese and more)
• Heavy files depend on your computer's memory

Open PDF Editor

2. PDF24 Tools

Best for: A wide set of free online tools with no artificial limits, and a free Windows app

Good

• All tools free "without any restrictions", paid for by advertising, as its home page says
• Uploaded files are deleted from the server after one hour, or at once by hand
• PDF24 Creator, a free Windows app, does everything offline

Not so good

• Online tools upload your file to PDF24's servers
• Its editor adds text, images and shapes; to change existing text it suggests converting to Word first
• Ads on the web pages

PDF24 Tools website · Sources: PDF24 home, PDF24 FAQ, All PDF24 tools, PDF24 Edit PDF, PDF24 Creator

3. iLovePDF

Best for: Quick one-off tasks with a large tool set, including redaction and forms

Good

• Almost every tool is on the free plan, including edit, sign, redact, OCR and forms
• Edit PDF can change existing text
• Files are deleted automatically within two hours of processing

Not so good

• Free tasks have per-tool limits on files and size
• PDF to Word with OCR is Premium only
• Files are uploaded for processing

iLovePDF website · Sources: iLovePDF pricing, iLovePDF security, iLovePDF Edit PDF, iLovePDF tools, iLovePDF Desktop

4. Sejda

Best for: Editing existing text online in a few small files, without signing up

Good

• Click any existing text to change it, with font, size and colour
• No sign-up for the free plan
• Sejda Desktop processes files on your computer without uploading them

Not so good

• Free plan: 3 tasks an hour and 50 pages per file
• The web version uploads files to its servers
• No redaction tool in its tool list (it has whiteout)

Sejda website · Sources: Sejda pricing, Sejda PDF editor, Sejda tools

5. Smallpdf

Best for: A polished set of tools if you will pay for Pro

Good

• 30+ tools, including OCR, redact, sign and form filling
• Files from free tools are deleted after one hour
• ISO/IEC 27001 certified, as its pricing page says

Not so good

• Editing existing text (Edit Text) is listed under Pro
• Free tools have a daily download limit
• Files are processed on its servers

Smallpdf website · Sources: Smallpdf pricing, Is Smallpdf safe?, Smallpdf tools, Smallpdf form filler

6. Adobe Acrobat online

Best for: Adding comments and text to a PDF if you already have an Adobe account

Good

• 25+ free tools: convert, compress, merge, split, fill and sign, OCR
• Text boxes, sticky notes, highlights and drawing are free

Not so good

• The free editor cannot change existing text: that needs Acrobat Pro
• Signing in is required to download or share the edited file
• Uploaded files are deleted unless you sign in to save them

Adobe Acrobat online website · Sources: Acrobat online tools, Acrobat online PDF editor, Acrobat pricing

Which one to choose

If the PDF is private (contracts, IDs, medical or tax papers) or you need to edit a lot, PDF Editor fits our criteria best: it is free without set limits, needs no account, and never sends the file anywhere, and its Convert tool turns a PDF into Word, Excel or PowerPoint on your device., and it adds or removes a password there too. Its OCR needs a one-time download for each script it reads (85 languages).

For a free tool with many functions and no limits, PDF24 is strong, and its Windows app keeps files local. iLovePDF puts almost every tool on its free plan, with per-task limits. Sejda is good at changing existing text in small files, within 3 free tasks an hour. Smallpdf and Adobe Acrobat online are polished, but editing existing text needs their paid plans.

Questions

Which free PDF editor can change existing text?

PDF Editor, iLovePDF and Sejda can change existing text on their free plans. Smallpdf lists Edit Text under Pro, and Adobe says its free online editor cannot edit existing text; that needs Acrobat Pro.

Which PDF editors do not upload my file?

PDF Editor works in your browser, so the file stays on your device. PDF24 Creator (Windows) and Sejda Desktop also process files on your computer. The online versions of PDF24, iLovePDF, Sejda, Smallpdf and Acrobat process files on their servers.

Is there a PDF editor that is completely free?

PDF Editor and PDF24 have no paid plan for their tools. iLovePDF, Sejda, Smallpdf and Adobe have free plans with limits and paid plans for more.

Can I redact a PDF for free?

Yes. PDF Editor, PDF24, iLovePDF and Smallpdf have redaction tools. PDF Editor turns each redacted page into an image with the black boxes burned in, so the hidden text is gone from the file.

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